I ARRIVED TO the beginner-level lesson put on by the University of Ottawa Tango Club 10 minutes early, hoping to watch a bit of the intermediate students’ lesson. Swaying to the music while I watched pairs spin together around the University Centre terminus, I was a little intimidated and a lot excited for my first-ever …
Ask the Oracle | Ask the Oracle Resonant 0/5 I CAN USUALLY decide whether I like a song within the first five seconds of hearing it. When I popped Ask the Oracle in to my computer, with all the hope and excitement of a child about to unwrap a gift from Santa, I knew I …
THE COST OF living has gone up and we’re now feeling the pinch at the dinner table. According to the Toronto Star, the National Post, and Maclean’s online, Toronto’s tipping customs have been rocked and customers are now expected to pay a 20 per cent tip for services instead of the usual 15. “Eighteen to …
ARMED WITH PRESS passes, a camera, and the unshakeable feeling we were about to step back into 1997, we made our way to the Bronson Centre to see Hanson live in concert on Feb 8. Much to our surprise, security was tight—it was only after three failed attempts to enter the building that we were …
FOR THE FIFTH year in a row, Ottawans were ready to mingle with vendors, shop, and get dirty at this year’s Sexapalooza at the Ottawa Convention Centre, Feb. 10–12. While some may think of Ottawa as a conservative city, the attendance at the event told a different story with thousands looking to see what Sexapalooza …
“DING!” THE CASH register sounded with another loud ring, signalling the success of yet another purchase at Venus Envy. My curiosity of what had been bought wasn’t piqued at the obtrusive sound, however. It was literature’s naughty night out at the adult store, which meant the buyer wasn’t interested in the latest gadget of the …
Through the lens LATER THIS MONTH, Hollywood’s best, brightest, and most celebrated will duke it out for top honours. It’s the one night of the year where the cinematic world will be transformed into a vicious wrestling match and go head-to-head in the ring for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Score, among other awards—all …
TOP ONLINE PIRACY Act (SOPA), Protect IP Act (PIPA), and Bill C-11 have been all over the news in recent weeks, with many opinions expressed from nearly all sides of the debate. Yet in the midst of these discussions, one important group seems to be surprisingly underrepresented—the artists themselves. This week, the Fulcrum caught up …
IT WAS IN 2002 that Bella Barecat and a group of friends saw a travelling burlesque troupe’s show and decided to start their own troupe in Ottawa. “It just looked like they were having such a great time. It was a beautiful expression, and it was something that we’d never really seen before, so we …
GRAFFITI IS A subject that sparks debate in the art world. Either people are for graffiti art, citing it as colourful investment our city should take advantage of, or they’re against it, likening it to vandalism. For Venise One, graffiti is more than just a heated discussion—it’s his profession. The graffiti artist, whose work has …
LAST WEEK, I strolled into Timothy’s on Laurier Avenue and confidently ordered a macchiato. “What exactly do you mean by that?” asked the barista, much to my surprise. Bewildered, I stammered some explanation of what Starbucks led me to believe a macchiato was. “No,” said the barista. “What you want is a latte.” If you’re …
Èva Morin | Fulcrum Contributor WALKING INTO MY first dating workshop was nothing short of terrifying. Having agreed to participate solely for research purposes, ideas of stereotypical motivational speakers and lonely singles ready to mingle haunted me the night before the seminar. I spoke to Irene Yarkoni, a dating coach in the Ottawa region, briefly …
Spartacus returns OTTAWA—POPULAR STARZ PROGRAM, Spartacus, returns to TV sets later this month. The action-packed, antiquity-set show brings forth a new lead actor and more bloodshed in its third installment of the series. Fans may be excited to see the return of the Roman drama, but Spartacus: Vengeance begins with a sombre note. This time …
LORENA ZIRALDO BORN IN ITALY but raised in Canada, Lorena Ziraldo debuted her exhibition A Conversation with a Painting… Continued on Jan. 25. Since graduating from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 2000, Ziraldo has held many exhibitions in various cities across Canada. The Ottawa-based visual artist is known for paintings that …
YOU ME AT SIX | Sinners Never Sleep Virgin Records 2/5 You Me At Six catapulted to fame through a timeless pop-punk formula: Catchy choruses, power chords, and a teenage fan base. It’s now been four years since the band’s debut album, and their third release has been highly anticipated. With album number three, the group …
SOPA MAY HAVE been put on hold, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a hot topic. Students across campus gave the Fulcrum their say on the proposed legislation, letting us know what they think about SOPA, Bill C-11, and Internet copyright rules in general. “I use Wikipedia every day for my academic studies and I …
Gods on display at the Museum of Civilization WHO DO YOU pray to? It’s a simple question that I was left pondering after leaving the Gods exhibit currently on display at the Museum of Civilization. Canada’s multicultural mosaic has left us with many different religions being practised every day. Whether it’s the monotheist practices of …
Children’s author offers advice to succeed in creative writing MONTREAL (CUP)—YES, IT CAN be frustrating, difficult, and extremely exhausting to cultivate a wonderful piece of writing. But despite the obstacles of writer’s block and trying to find widespread success, well-known author Robert Munsch encourages young writers to keep working at it—as he continues to do …
Joyful Noise 3/5 IMAGINE WATCHING GLEE as a feature film, but set in a small, southern town in the United States. This is exactly how Todd Graff’s latest movie, Joyful Noise, comes across. While there are some glaring differences between the two—most notably the absence of a character similar to the witty Sue Sylvester and …
Great Canadian Theatre Company 4/5 A MURDER, A nail-biting trial, and politics. This may sound like another quintessential Hollywood blockbuster trailer, but there are no heroics or happy endings in this dark tale. It’s the tragic story of Thomas D’Arcy McGee’s murder that took place not too far from our own campus many years ago. …
Through the lens SOPA AND PIPA sound like two unfortunate nicknames for a couple of snot-nosed, pigtail-wearing schoolgirls. You’ll be disappointed to learn the ill-sounding words are actually acronyms for the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act, not awkward baby names that Beyoncé Knowles discarded in favour of Blue Ivy. The two …
Proposed copyright reform creates controversy IT’S A NEW bill that’s creating quite the stir. The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) has dethroned the Occupy protests as a top news story gathering interest worldwide. SOPA—an anti-piracy bill, also known as House Bill 3261, originating in the U.S.—was created to eliminate pirated online content, particularly foreign content, …
Taking a glance at the biggest achievements in music and film of 2011 WE’VE RUNG IN the new year and welcomed 2012 with open arms, but let’s not forget the past year. With rioting, Occupy-the-world protests, and provincial and federal elections, 2011 was one politically charged year. But in the world of arts, there were just as many front-page-worthy events. So, in an ode to 2011, here’s …
The Weeknd | Echoes of Silence XO 4/5 Abel Tesfaye, more commonly known by his stage name The Weeknd, has returned with another much anticipated mix tape. Echoes of Silence follows the popularity of House of Balloons and Thursday—all of which were released in the past year—and is the last instalment in this Canadian artists’ trilogy of mix tapes. …
Ottawa’s best blogs to look out for WITH ANOTHER YEAR past, many often reflect on the year gone by, but part of the new year is being excited for what’s to come. Considering that practically everyone and their grandmother has a blog, we’d thought it’d be appropriate to look into Ottawa blogs to check out in 2012. Whether it’s a blog …
